Wanting Coraline on Tank Glass.

[teetee]

I have seen photos of reef systems with wonderful patches of pink and purple coraline algae on the glass of tanks. I want some too! My system has been up for nearly eight months now and nada. Is there a special secret that I am not aware of? Please don't mention Coral Vital or Reef Solution. Been there, done that, to no avail. Parameters are: Salinity 1.025, Ca 460 ppm, Alk 4.5 meq/L. Lighting averages at about 2.9 wpg.
All my softies (shrooms, leathers, and colt) are thriving! Any suggestions/thoughts on developing coraline on the back of my tank? As is stands, the back glass has a nice covering of algae and white dots of what I presume to be some sort of calcerous sponge. Thanks,TT.

 

[kracker]

Check out oceansblend.com.They have an additive that you use once a day and let me tell ya,after about a week or two my tank was getting coraline algea everywhere and my mushrooms for instance trippled in size.The stuff is great.

 

[teetee]

Thanks kracker for your suggestion. I am, however, quite reluctant to purchse another 'miracle' additive. Like I mentioned, I have tried both Coral Vital and Reef Solution. Both seemed to have pages of rants and testimonials, but alas their wounderous effects did not occur in my system. They also were rather expensive. Any other suggestions out there?

 

[10k]

The best info I've found on Coraline is at <a href="http://www.garf.org" target="_blank">www.garf.org</a> They have a special recipe just for coraline growth. It's easy and it works!

 

[jakob4001]

hey kraker, does oceanblends have a better more "informative" website; sorry, but that just looked like another slap of peops tanks trying to sell some miracle cure all beat all solution...one of those let the buy beware thing...they really should have put more into thier product webpage other than list of links to someone ele's tank; those kinds of results are usually due to time, effort, calcium reactors, heavy heavy lighting, fancy filtration...I'm looking for this is my bland tank after 4 months of trying, & this is it now after month or so of this product w/ only this much lighingt no calcium reacter or etc...garf is a great place for info though

 

[saltylake]

kracker how did you find this site and how much does this product cost? Also have you seen a serious increase in growth? thank you and please email me at Vincelago@yahoo.com

 

[nm reef]

I found that if you will maintain calcium/alkalinity as you already are coraline will begin to establish. To jump start it try to take a small piece of LR that has good coraline coverage and place it directly in the flow of a powerhead. It will help spread the coraline spores thru out the system. Also take a small piece of LR that you can afford to do without and crush it up then distribute in the system...will help to spread coraline. Other than that its simply a waiting game...maintain levels and be patient...it will spread!

 

[teetee]

Thanks for the replies folks. 10k, the GARF site was very informative & interesting. NM reef, yes, I guess patience is required here. It's just that the general consensus on boards is that coralline starts spreding after the six month period. Some even boast nice amounts after four months. I'll just gladly wait

 

[ny reef]

here is some on my friends tank he has had it running for 7 months and look at the coraline..

 

[josh]

Hi,
Well first off which way are your powerheads pointing? Generally you want them to blow across the rocks with coraline to disperse the spores. I have had a time getting it grow on my back glass, b/c my powerheads point forwards like most folk's do... I started to add b-ionic about a month ago ( I don't drip kalk ) and I am seeing some signs of the algae growing on my back glass... I know you aren't looking for a mircle cure like Weiss's products.. but b-ionic or dripping kalk really does help, also try increasing the photoperiod of the actinics.... good luck
-Josh-

 

[byrself]

i agree with the info on the garf.org site. seed your tank with some coralline algae from another tank or live rock . as long as you are maintaining your calcium and salinity levels and the like, the coralline will take off. how old are your bulbs? i think old bulbs may have an effect also. all the additives you should need are probably the one's you already use. that's just my opinion. <img src="graemlins//eek.gif" border="0" alt="[eek]" />

 

[cyn]

I agree with pointing the ph's at the well established coraline. This is what I have done and I am starting to get some on the glass. I have it growing on my ph's and heater now too. I dose Kalk regularly and that's it.
Good luck!
cyn

 

[keitho]

just remember...the keys are...good water movement and high, stable alkalinity (10-12 dKh). with proper alkalinity, the pH should be adequate. hope this helps

 

[ky]

When I first started in SW, I had a horrible time growing coraline algae. All of my values were perfect, except......... I thought that having a high calcium was enough, but if your kH isn't what it needs to be, the calcium level basically doesn't matter. After I fixed the kH, I had a growth spurt that almost scared me. It was like the stuff was sitting dormant waiting to be released. No miracle additive, just proper kH and Ca.

 

[gtc]

Current has plays a major role in coralline growth. Point your powerhead to blow across the glass. You also should have some rock with some decent growth already on it to help. Kalk drip will help too. Check out my photos at <a href="http://photos.yahoo.com/jctphotos" target="_blank">http://photos.yahoo.com/jctphotos</a> you can see the coralline coverage on the back and side glass. The back glass has one return line blowing across it.

 

[gtc]

By the way if you look at the pictures click on the one marked "my betta" and directly behind him is my back glass.

 

[teetee]

Ky
thanks for your response. I like the simplicity of it. Please excuse my ignorance, but what is kH and the proper amount?

 

[ky]

kH is Carbonate Hardness [alkalinity]. Basically a measurement of bicarb [HCO3] and carbonate [CO3]. A proper kH stabalizes the pH of the system. If your kH is low [<8] then the system is can have very rapid changes in pH. Calcium [Ca 2+] is a cation, a [+] charged ion. In order for it to 'be available' for things like coraline algae to use, there must be an alkaline environment [kH >8]. This also affects how well liverock acts as a filter. If your nitrate levels are high, check your kH and Ca. Organisms can function only as well as their environment allows them to. Like, if you live in Ohio and can jog 10 miles with no problem but take a vacation in Denver and can only jog 4 miles, it is because of the decreases O2. Your body can only function as well as the amount of 02 that it receives. Live rock and coraline algae function and grow only as well as they are suported. Make sense?

 

[ramey70]

One day you will rue the day you posted this as you curse the coraline for trying to take over your glass.

 

[kdlbem]

LMAO Ramey! I was saying to myself yesterday(as I spent 40 minutes scraping tiny coraline spots off the front & side glass): Be careful what you wish for <img src="graemlins//evilwhorn.gif" border="0" alt="[Evil Horn]" /> It used to take 15 min. to clean the front and sides. But I'd rather spend time scraping than not have it. Be patient, it'll come.
B